Gov. Tom Corbett said he is open to using a task force to find the best way out of the ever-deepening public pension hole in which Pennsylvania finds itself.

His comment, which came during a Thursday conference call with Digital First Media journalists, comes just three days after Moody’s Investor Service downgraded the Commonwealth’s bond rating citing, in part, Pennsylvania’s “growing pension liabilities.”

Corbett attempted without success to force the Legislature to return to Harrisburg and address the growing pension crisis by delaying signing of the $29.1 billion budget and using a line-item veto to cut 20 percent of the Legislature’s operating budget.

Since signing the budget, he has been touring the state campaign-style, linking the pension issue to rising school property taxes. On Thursday, he was in southeastern Pennsylvania.

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“Each school district in Pennsylvania is facing a significant issue with pension costs,” Corbett said.

Touring Delaware County, he pointed to the Rose Tree Media School District, where he had just met with Superintendent James M. Wigo, where pension obligations will rise from $2.1 million in 2011 to $13.1 million in 2019.

“That increase translates into property taxes,” Corbett said.

On average, property tax increases in Delaware County school districts due to pension costs have risen 46 percent the last 10 years, highest in Garnet Valley, where costs have jumped 71 percent, Corbett said.

The proposed plan would be part traditional “defined benefit” and part 401(k)-style “defined contribution,” depending on the employee’s salary.

But critics contend a bill that addresses future costs does nothing to solve the ever-growing gap between the obligations of the existing system and its revenues, a gap estimated to be $48 billion.

Among those who are doubtful of the benefits of the Kampf/Tobash bill is Greg Mennis, director of the Public Sector Retirement Systems project at the Pew Charitable Trusts.

“The Tobash bill has real problems, it’s very complex. It has some merit, but it doesn’t solve the $48 billion liability” the state currently faces as pension payment shortfalls, Mennis said.

“Pennsylvania stands out, with New Jersey, in only making less than one-half to one-third of the required contribution to the pensions system,” said Mennis, noting that 15 states fully fund their pension systems each year and “most fund it at least 80 percent.”

“There is no one-size-fits-all,” Mennis said, noting that Kentucky generated funding to pay its full pension obligation, in part by taking money out of its road fund. In Pennsylvania, that is unlikely given the effort put into getting a recent transportation bill passed to add money into fixing roads and bridges.

“Every commission we’ve established has produced a product we’ve been able to implement; they don’t just sit on a shelf,” Corbett said.

“Look, we’ve never said the Kampf bill addresses everything, but we have to get started and this bill starts the process of getting people to the table,” he added.

Corbett said his administration attempted to bring pension reform to Harrisburg in previous years “but there was no willingness by the Legislature at all on this one.”

The political factors affecting pension reform amount to more than just the tension between Corbett and the Legislature. Corbett has struggled in his first term to get action on his agenda even though the Legislature is controlled by his own party. He is also running for re-election and is facing a strong challenge from Democrat Tom Wolf, a millionaire businessman from York.

Wolf, Corbett contends, “doesn’t seem to think there is a pension crisis. Maybe he can afford to pay higher property taxes,” he said in an obvious reference to Wolf’s wealth, which helped finance his successful run in the Democratic primary.

“Our current pension situation is the direct result of almost 10 years of politicians kicking the can down the road and the state paying less than its fair share. We must find a solution that is fair to taxpayers and workers,” Wolf replied Friday in a statement issued by his campaign.

“Tom believes that we need to let Act 120 work,” Wolf spokesman Mark Nicastre wrote in an e-mail response to The Mercury, referring to changes to pension rules adopted in 2011. Act 120 altered how pensions are provided to new employees but also capped pension contributions and, many say, exacerbated the problem.

“Additionally, he will work to create innovative solutions and explore new funding mechanisms, like issuing pension obligation bonds, that are fiscally responsible, and fair and beneficial to taxpayers and workers,” Nicastre wrote.

Corbett dismisses the idea of “borrowing our way out of this. That’s really kicking the can down the road,” he said.

The borrowing idea was floated in March by Democrats in the state Senate, who proposed floating $9 billion in bonds and using interest rate savings to pay pension obligations, but the idea was met with little enthusiasm by Republicans.

While the political maneuvering continues in Harrisburg, Corbett said he decided to take the issue to the people themselves.

“While we can’t seem to get through to some legislators, when we relate it to their pocketbooks, they get it,” Corbett said. “People are coming up to me and saying I’m right on point and when I explain how it affects their property taxes, they tell me not to give up.”

He noted that under the Act 1 tax cap, school districts can raise taxes above their state-imposed index in only two ways.

“This year 163 of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts asked for that relief,” said Corbett.

“It’s only going to keep getting worse,” said Corbett. “It costs us $610 million in new money every year. In just two years, it will add $1.2 billion to the budget. We can’t keep adding those costs. The system is clearly broken and we need to do something about it.”